CHAPTER XIII
PHARAOH'S KINE
"And now to business," said Master Freake.
"To pleasure, sir," said the Colonel. "Business is over."
He was leisurely filling his pipe, an example which Margaret, with asmile and a nod, gave me permission to follow.
"Tell us how you escaped," said Margaret. "Master Wheatman cannot toosoon begin to learn the tricks of the trade. Sorry, dad," bending to kisshis hand; "you needn't look at me in German. I mean rudiments of theprofession."
"A woman who calls soldiering a trade ought to be forcibly married to aparson," said the Colonel passionately.
"There'll be a reasonable quantity of parsons to choose from at Chester,"she retorted, laughing up in his face.
"Chester? Why Chester?" demanded Master Freake, suddenly tense andvigilant.
"I need name no name, but a certain dignitary's lady there, one of oursupporters, undertook to take her in charge while this affair was on,"explained the Colonel.
Master Freake, it seemed to me, was disappointed with the explanation,and, knowing that what Margaret wanted was to have the rumour of herfather's intended treachery blown to pieces by his own account, I said,"There's only one parson in England fit to look at Mistress Margaret, andhe's sixty and married. Let me learn, I pray you, sir, the art of slippingout of the hands of a squad of dragoons on a road crowded with soldiery."
"If you think you are to hear a tale that will make you grip the arms ofyour chairs, you're in for a sad disappointment. Yesterday and through thenight, they stuck to me as if Geordie had offered thirty thousand poundsfor me, dead or alive, but this morning their hold on me slackened. Theymight have intended me to escape. I was put on a fresh horse, about thebest they'd got; the dragoon in charge of me was three parts drunk when westarted; we got mixed up in a crowd of foot retreating south, andseparated from our main body, and finding myself alone on the road withone man, and him drunk, I just knocked him off his horse, and cleared offacross the fields.
"I rode on until I got a sight of this town, and the main road into it,from a hill-top, and watched for an hour or so to see what was happening.I knew by my pace that I was well ahead of my late escort, and seeing nosigns of them, came on to this inn, and was enjoying a good dinner when Isaw Sultan and Oliver on him. The rest you know. Not much of a tale. Madgehas done better many a time."
"Do you really think the Captain intended you to escape?" It was Margaretwho asked the question, looking intently at me as she spoke.
I looked from her to Master Freake and back again, meaning to remind herthat I wanted no convincing, but she still kept her eyes on mine, her chincupped in her long white hands, and I was glad of her insistence for Icould look at her without offence. I thought the mellow fire-light madeher look more beautiful than ever. The lustrous yellow hair shone likemolten gold, and the dark blue eyes became a queenly purple.
"If it were done on purpose it was done cleverly," continued the Colonel,"for the chance which set me free came quite naturally. The horse I rodeyesterday was wanted in the usual way by a trooper to whom it belonged,and where so many men were more or less drunk, the choice of my particulardrunkard was certainly accidental. And, besides, what possible motivecould there be in letting me escape? Brocton knows I'm an experiencedsoldier of great repute--I state plain facts--and am eagerly expected bythe Prince and by my old companion-in-arms, Geordie Murray. They couldn'thave planned it better if they had wished it, but it's absurd to say theywished it. There ought to be a cashiered captain and a half-flayed dragoonsomewhere south of us. Damme, I merit that at least."
He bent over the hearth to relight his pipe. Master Freake smiled andrubbed his hands gently. Margaret's eyes blazed with triumph, andchallenged me, still me, to share it. Woman-logic was clean beyond my poorwits. I was sick for action. These glorious interludes with Margaret gaveme no chance. It was like setting me afire and asking me not to burn.
Thinking of the poor, half-flayed devil behind us, made me think of thesergeant, and I asked Master Freake, "Did you give the sergeant his papersand letter?"
"No," was the ready reply. "The papers dealt rather frankly with certainregimental accounts, and, since the sergeant is now very bitterly setagainst us, may be useful in my hands. I had a shrewd notion that theletter concerned the title to certain lands as to which Lord Brocton and Iare at odds, and on opening it I found to my satisfaction that I wasright. With your permission, Oliver, I will keep it."
"By all means do so," said I, anxious to burn again, and turning back toMargaret. If this silent, capacious man, so great a stranger yet so cleara friend, had said that the letter was about a new edition of Virgil, Ishould have believed him, and also, I fear me, have been equallyuninterested. Latin be damned!
"Something for you in Oliver's magic-hat," said Margaret smilingly toMaster Freake. "He really must fetch something out for himself soon.Staffordshire is by far the most delightful country I have ever been in.Only one little day has gone by, and in that day Staffordshire has givenme more and truer friends than Europe gave me in ten years. I shall crossits borders with regret. Shall we make the most of it while we have it andsleep here, dad?"
"Unless we're routed out," was his reply, "and I do not think we shallbe, for the enemy have all cleared out of the town. Cumberland is, ofcourse, doing the right thing. He had few men north of Stafford, and fewerstill worth powder and shot. Where the Prince is I've no idea."
"Resting for the day at Macclesfield," said Master Freake, "and his plansare not certain, or, at least, not known. The Duke of Kingston has a smallbody of horse at Congleton and is watching his movements."
"Damme," the Colonel broke in, "I did not know we had enemies north ofus. Are you sure?"
"Certain. One of my men reported the facts to me just before supper."
"It's awkward, or rather will be awkward if anyone who knows me turns up.That rascally landlord of ours must have known where Kingston was, butamid all his talk he never told me that. Damme, somebody's got hold ofhim. Still, you can't take the bull by the horns till his nose isslobbering your waistcoat, so pass the wine, Oliver."
He refilled his glass and then, leisurely and with his eyes dreamilyfixed on the fire, loaded his pipe with a new charge of tobacco, and wenton smoking.
"Are you a Jacobite?" suddenly asked Margaret, looking inquiringly atMaster Freake.
"Dear me, no, Mistress Margaret," was the frank reply. "But you need notcurl those sweet lips of yours, for neither am I a Hanoverian."
"Then what are you?" she asked again, with the same uncompromisingdirectness.
"A Freakeiteian," said he with a smile.
"It puzzles me," was her brief comment.
"Let me explain," said he simply. "A Jacobite wants Charles to win; aHanoverian wants George to win; a Freakeiteian wants to know who is goingto win."
By this time Margaret was no more puzzled than I was. Yesterday when Istood on the river-bank watching my cork, I cared not a rap whether Georgeor Charles won, and that was an understandable position; but why a manshould be spending money in handfuls, and roughing it in the wilds ofStaffordshire, merely in order to know who was going to win, was beyond mypoor wits.
"You do not understand?" he said.
"No," said Margaret and I together.
The Colonel took no notice. He was puffing away at his pipe,long-drawn-out, solemn puffs, and gazing at the fire in a brown study.
"Well, Margaret and Oliver," said Master Freake, "this is no time to begiving you lessons in the way the great world wags that neither knows norcares of outs and ins and party shufflings, but is busy with rents andcrops, and incomings and outgoings, and debts and credits, and wivings andthrivings. But, believe me, in being anxious to know who is going to win,I am as plainly and simply doing my duty as is the Colonel who is going todo his best to help his Prince to win. I am one, and, I thank God, not theleast, of that great race of men who are destined to mould a mightierEngland than the sword could ever carve--the merchant of Lond
on whose nodis his bond."
He spoke with simple dignity and his word was established. I had trustedhim on sight. "His nod was his bond." You saw it in the man's clear,steady eyes and knew it by the set of his firm, square chin. After awarning glance at the silent Colonel, he leaned forward, and Margaret bentto meet him.
"If Charles loses," he murmured, "many heads will be smitten from theirshoulders."
The colour left her cheeks instantly and tears welled forth from her eyes.
"But not the Colonel's," he whispered.
I was watching her with the eye of a hawk. A smile dawned on the whiteface, the sad eyes began to lose their gloom, and my fool of a heart beganto flutter.
Yet once more he whispered, "And not Oliver's."
She leaned farther forward still and kissed him.
And it was just at that moment that the door opened smartly andCherry-Cheeks put her sweet head round it and swiftly and peremptorilybeckoned me outside.
Margaret laughed.
In the dim passage, Cherry-Cheeks caught my hand affrightedly andbabbled, "Oh, sir, there's the ugliest beast you ever saw spying on herladyship. Take your boots off, sir, and creep after me!"
I tugged them off and we started. Along the passage she flew and upstairsinto the corresponding passage above. Here, outside the Duke's room, shestopped and whispered, "He'll think I'm that bitch Sal. Hide behind me!"
She opened the door and stole into the room with me in tow, holding herskirt and crouching down nearly to the floor.
She was somewhat broad in the beam, like a Dutch hoy, and all I could seewas a dull glimmer somewhere ahead in the darkness.
"Ssss-h, damn ye," said the beast fiercely. "Stand still!"
Cherry-Cheeks took care not to stop till near the light, and then, withwonderful ready wit, put her right hand on her hip and I peeped throughbetween arm and waist.
Full length on his belly lay the man from Yarlet Bank. There was a smallspy-hole in the floor, on the edge of the hearth, and he had his right earagainst it, which was lucky, for it kept his face turned from me. Thenotebook lay open on the floor near a guttering tallow candle in an ironcandlestick, and the stump of pencil was clenched in his dirty yellowteeth.
I threw my handkerchief on the floor, took my fat little Virgil in myleft hand, and crept out to him. When near on top of him, I gripped himround the nape of the neck, digging my fingers in his flabby throat, andhe went slimy with fright like a great, fat lob-worm. I swooped down onhim with my full weight, and pinned him to the floor. His big mouth openedas he fought for breath, and I clapped the Virgil hard and far into it,tying it tight in with my handkerchief, and gagging him effectually.
I looked up and found, to my relief, that Cherry-Cheeks, like a sensiblegirl, had crept out of the room, and her share in the affair was nevereven suspected.
Drawing my tuck, I touched the back of his neck with the point. Heflinched and squirmed, great drops of sweat larded his nasty face, and Iknew the fear of death and hell was in his marrow.
"Do exactly what I say," I whispered, "or through it goes. Understand?"
He could hardly nod his ugly head for the trembling of his body, and Ifairly dithered as I knelt on him. I made him rise, and then caught holdof the skirt of his coat. Holding him by it at arm's length, I stuck mypoint to his neck again, and said, "Forward."
I marched him downstairs and along the passage. There was great risk ofbeing met by some one, and it was the most anxious time I had had sincethe affair with the sergeant in the house-place at the Hanyards. Oddlyenough, as I drove him along, the thought came to me of the bygone dayswhen Jack and I had played horses just like this at the Hanyards, and whenmy prisoner stuck a trifle at the door of the guest-room, I growled athim, "Come up!" It was a strange trick of the mind. To me he was justplay-horse Jack dawdling to look at ten-year-old Kate feeding herchickens.
I got him in unseen without and unnoticed within, for the Colonel andMaster Freake were again at their arguments of state, hammer and tongs,and they minded the click of the door behind them no more than the crackof a spark at their feet. Indeed the Colonel said "Pish!" with greatvehemence, and Master Freake's "My dear sir!" had a shake of pepper in it.As for me, I like a man who, when he gets into a thing, gets into it up tothe neck.
Margaret added to my amusement, for as I pricked my prisoner on into thefire-light, and peeped over his shoulder, he being a good six inchesshorter than I, madam leaned forward and became absorbed in the highdebate.
"I beg to report, sir," said I, as indifferently as I could manage tospeak, "the capture of a spy."
"Hang him at daybreak," said the Colonel, without so much as looking athim. "Pish, man, the trade in salted herrings is no more a nursery ofseamen than I'm--Damme, what's this, Oliver? Damme, it's Weir. Yourservant, Mister Weir, and I shall vastly relish seeing you strung up."
I gave a brief account of where and how I had found him, making nomention of our helpful girl friend, but pointing out that he hadco-scoundrels at work for him in the inn.
"Another good piece of work, Oliver," said the Colonel. "I like the wayyou use your available material. I've seen many things used as gags, butnot a book before; yet it makes a very good one. Keeps him quiet as astone and withal leaves him free to lick up a few crumbs of learning."
Margaret had not looked at me yet, and indeed seemed bent on keeping herface, heightened in colour by the warmth and glow of the fire, turned awayfrom me. Now a rather big matter had come into my mind, so I saidurgently, "Name of a dog," and thus shook her into looking at me.Whereupon, I pointed first to Mr. Freake, then to the spy, and wagged myhead sagely. Her quick mind saw at once that I was afraid that our friendwould be compromised if we were not careful. She promptly said somethingto her father in an unknown tongue, and by the cock of his eye I knew he'dtaken the point.
"My good friend," he said, "pray step over to his worship the Mayor andask him to come over and commit this rascally spy to the town jail. Say, Ibeg, that I am grieved to have to disturb him, but His Majesty's servantsmust ever be at the disposal of His Majesty's affairs."
I grinned behind the spy's back at this masterly way of getting George'sservant to do James's work. Master Freake started at once, and, steppingwith him to the door, I whispered, "Give us fifteen minutes."
"Right!" he whispered back again. "Look in your holsters!"
As soon as he had gone, the Colonel ordered me to guard the door, andthis gave me the chance of putting on my boots again. The Colonel, cuttingoff with his sword a good length of bell rope, made a swift and mostworkmanlike job of tying the spy into a knot. He then opened the window,and, Margaret taking my place meanwhile, he and I cautiously bundled Weiron to the balcony, shut down the window, and left him safe and silent.
"Be in the porch in ten minutes, Margaret, ready to start. Oliver, getthe horses there ready in that time. You ride the troop-horse, and Freakehas provided a mare for Margaret. Quick's the work and sharp's the motion!"
Margaret and I started together to carry out our orders. Once in thepassage we had to go different ways, and I bowed and was going minewithout a word, when she put her hand on my arm and stayed me.
"I'm sorry you've lost your Virgil," she said.
I wondered, as already so many times I had wondered, at the somersaultsof feeling she was capable of. Where was now the Margaret of the short,disdainful laugh? Not here, in the twilight between the bright room andthe black yard. Here was a subtle, mysterious Margaret, half regret andhalf caprice, with one thought in her eyes and another on her lips.
"So am I, madam. I wish it had been Kate's cookery-book."
She would have mastered me had I stayed another second. I bowed again andleft her.
And this is, perhaps, the best place to say that I did not lose my Virgilafter all. Here it is on the table as I write, still the dearest of all mybooks. On each side of the healing an irregular curve of teeth-marks cutsinto the yellowing parchment. Dear, brave Cherry-Cheeks sent it home bythe hands of a vagrom pedl
ar, laboriously and exactly writing on thepackage the inscription she found on the fly leaf:
OLIVER WHEATMAN, Esquire, of the Hanyards, Staffordshire, _Aetatis anno_ 13
I routed out ostlers, and by dint of a judicious blend of cursings andbribings had the horses ready under the archway in time. Margaret wasthere waiting, with our pretty maid fluttering around her. The Colonel waswithin, settling with the word-warrior host. I helped Margaret into thesaddle and led her horse into the street, turning its head northward. In amoment, her father clattered after her on Sultan. I went back to smilefarewell to Cherry-Cheeks and deal out my bribes, but was after thembefore they had trotted a stone's throw.
They were cantering towards the bridge by which the high street of thetown crosses a tiny streamlet and again becomes the high road to thenorth-west. It was only a pistol-shot from the portico of the "Rising Sun"to the hither side of the bridge, where a group of townsmen were collectedround a man with a lantern. We had ridden forth into a strangely quiettown, but before I was half-way to the bridge, and not yet settled down tomy saddle, loud shrieks rang out behind me. Looking back, I saw a womanleaning forth, candle in hand, from the Duke's bedroom window. She wavedher light and yelled as one distraught. There was no mistaking what hadhappened. Sal, the sour-faced hussy who wanted me hanged, had learned thefate of the spy. Folks rushed from all quarters to see what was thematter. The sooner we were well out of it the better, and I pricked on toovertake the Colonel and Margaret.
I was near on them at the bridge, where the gossips had lined up to watchthem pass. Timothy was there, thankful for once, I thought, of his longcoat, while the man who held the lantern was the man to whom I owed adrubbing. I wondered what he was doing there with a lantern, for it was abrilliant moonlight night, and, since he made to run townwards as soon ashe saw who was passing, I felt in my bones that he meant mischief and wasprobably in league with the spy. I turned my horse at him before he wasclear of the bridge and tumbled him back headlong on Timothy, who yelledthe most astonishing yell I ever heard, snatched the lantern out of BeeryBreath's unresisting fingers, and with it smashed into him with such afury that he beat him to his knees.
I laughed, for the man had got his drubbing after all, through me if notby me. As for the other townies, they enjoyed it like a play.
"Gom!" said one. "He's trod on Tim's gammy toe."
"Damn if he don't turn on 'is missus when 'er does that," said another.
The Colonel and Margaret were looking back when I drew level.
"Anything the matter?" he asked.
"The spy is discovered, sir," I said.
"Does that mean harm to Master Freake?" inquired Margaret.
"Not it," replied the Colonel. "He's got the Mayor in his pocket. Do youknow this country, Oliver?"
"No, sir," was my answer. "Only in broad outline. This is the main roadto Chester, and away on our right is an open country running up intoroughish moorland and hills. Leek lies that way on the Derby road toLondon. The country to our left I know nothing about."
"Then we'll stick to the main road as long as possible and stop at thefirst inn after all danger-spots are behind us. Sorry to turn you out,Madge, but it was impossible to stop once Weir found us out, sinceKingston and his men might have turned up at any moment, and then weshould have been done for. All we have to do is to get north of him. Fromthe south we have nothing to fear now. Brocton's dragoons would haveturned up hours ago if there was any intention of trying to recapture me.Freake had sent one of his men down the road to give us time to clear offif Brocton did pursue. That was why I was content to stay on at the inn."
"Weir knows who you are, sir, I take it?" said I.
"Exactly. He's a notorious Government spy, and is busy here worming intoour local plans. There are plenty of the honest party hereabouts, andespecially over to the west there in Wales."
"Are we still in Staffordshire, Master Wheatman?" asked Margaret.
"Oh yes, for quite a distance ahead," I replied.
"The spirit of prophecy is upon me, gentlemen," she said merrily. "OurStaffordshire luck is not yet out, and this time it's Master Wheatman'sturn."
"Well, then, Master Wheatman shall ride ahead and scout for it. Aboutthirty yards, Oliver. Keep your horse well in hand, and be all eyes andears. Damn this moon! It picks us out like three crows on a field of snow,and this infernal road's as straight and level as a plank. Ride in anyavailable shadow!"
I went ahead and set them an easy pace. Work had begun again, the work ofmy heart's desire, and all along the Chester road there was no blitherspirit than mine that night. I was astride a flaming sorrel, no match forSultan, but still a good sound horse. He knew I was his master and so Imade him a friend, patting his neck, crooning to him, and giving him alick of sugar out of my hand. The danger we were in was like wine to myheart. Enemies ahead and enemies behind, and this bare, bleak,moon-smitten road between. Now and again, for remembrance' sake and thejoy of it, I cocked my ear to pick out the patter of Margaret's mare fromthe heavier, longer strides of Sultan. Yes, there she was, doubtlessmurmuring Italian love-ditties to her happy inmost self and thinkingof--Pshaw! This was romancing, and another's romance at that, and itdeadened me against my will, while here was a man's work to do. So Iturned to it and lived.
I examined the holsters, according to Master Freake's orders. I found apair of pistols which, even in the pale moonlight, looked what they indeedwere--handsome, accurate weapons, the best work of the best gunsmith inLondon. I was the equal of most men with the pistol, and usually had,indeed, a capital pair at the Hanyards, but Jack had taken them off withhim on his dragooning. Over and above the pistols and their ammunition Ifound a sizeable leathern bag, and the feel of it to my fingers showedthat it was chock-full of money. When I did turn it out next day, I foundnear on sixty pounds, mostly in guineas and half-guineas, and a note:
"Dear lad, this town is very bare of guineas and many of them are lighterthan the law alloweth, but you shall have more as occasion offers.--Yourfriend, J. F."
I turned to the road again with a merrier heart than ever, for I thought,as Smite-and-spare-not would have thought before me, that the veryhandiwork of God Himself was here displayed, in that the seemingly mostuntoward events of our journey had been turned into means of strength andassurance. Had I, as I ought to have done, brought money of my own fromthe Hanyards, I should never have started highwayman, and so never havemet Master Freake on Wes'on Bank.
Three miles or more we made in this manner, and I had heard nothing morealarming than the hoot of an owl from an ivy-crusted elm. Some distanceback the road had climbed slightly for a space, then fallen into the levelagain, and now ran, open and unhedged, across the bleaky top of a barrenupland. I chirruped to the sorrel and gave him another lick of sugar tocomfort him. A moment later, I knew by the forward cock of his ears andthe swift up-shake of his head that something was in the wind, andstrained my own ears to listen, for there was nothing of note visibleahead or around.
From far ahead came the faint rattle of hoofs on the hard road. I pulledup, and, a moment later, Margaret and the Colonel stopped beside me.
"What is it?" asked the latter.
"Horse coming this way, sir," was my reply. The sounds were alreadyplainer. For a full minute he listened carefully. "A good number of them,and making a smart pace," he said. "It can only be Kingston's advanceguard falling back. Most likely the van of the Highlanders has beaten uptheir quarters. Once past them we shall be--Hello! Slids! What's that?Reinforcements! Egad. Oliver, we're between the hammer and the anvil."
He turned his head round sharply and so did Margaret and I. From behindus came again the unmistakable rattle of a body of horse. We were trappedcompletely.
"This is damned annoying," said the Colonel. He looked casually around,as indifferently as he would have looked round the guest-room of the"Rising Sun," and added, "Follow me, and ride as if the devil were at yourtail."
He turned off into the bare, flat country, and we after him. Ho
w we rode!He was making for a little group of trees, some dozen wind-sown pines,stuck like a forlorn picket in enemy country a stone's-throw from theroad. We got there in a bunch, for there was no time for Sultan's pace tocount.
"Damn the moon!" he said, and dismounted. "But this is better thannothing. Take off Margaret's saddle, Oliver."
I got down, and assisted Margaret to dismount. She thanked me, brieflyand smilingly, as unperturbed as the gaunt pine beneath which she stood.
The Colonel and I changed the saddles, and in a few seconds Margaret wason Sultan. I asked him in vain to take the sorrel and leave the mare tome, for she was getting restive, and the Colonel was not quite so able asI was with a strange horse. I insisted, however, in taking off my coat andwrapping it about the mare's head, and, being thus blanketed, she gave usno further trouble. By the Colonel's orders, Margaret, on Sultan, took herplace between us, heading for the open country, while he and I turned tothe road. The thin, straggling pine-branches cast but little shadow, and Iknew it was next to impossible for us to pass unnoticed.
"Now, Madge," said the Colonel, "it's bound to come to a fight. As soonas the fun begins, off you go like the wind into this bog-hole in front ofyou, and in five minutes you'll be out of danger. Make a detour round tothe road again, keep the moon behind your back, and push on to the nearestinn. Oliver and I will join you there, if so God wills. If we don't,you're on the Chester road. Have you your money still?"
"Yes, dad."
"You understand, Madge?"
"Quite clearly."
"Then kiss me, sweetheart."
She kissed him without a word, and turned to look goodbye to me. For amoment I went all aquiver with emotion. This wonderful new life of minehad at times to be lived in the outskirts and suburbs of death.Fortunately, a thought came into my head, and I tugged out the leathernbag and thrust it into her hand.
"Don't leave that under the bed," said I, and, being very bold, as onemay be with death at one's door, I drew her gloved hand, with the bag init, towards me, and kissed it. She said nothing to me, but the light inher eyes was like moonlight on the dancing surface of a mountain spring.
"Look to your pistols, Oliver," ordered the Colonel briefly and crisply."See your tuck slips easy in the scabbard. Another minute will decide. Youand I can easily give Madge all the start Sultan requires."
"Easily, sir," I answered stoutly.
"Good lad!" said the Colonel.
And Margaret, leaning across until her lips were near my cheek as I bentto see what she wanted, said, for the third time, "Well done, fisherman!"I laughed lightly and was glad, for was not this calm, brave, splendidwoman thinking of how we two had met?
From the first cock of the sorrel's ears to this so characteristic remarkof Margaret's could not have been five minutes, and now, although owing tothe downward slope to our left I have mentioned, and its correspondingslope to the right, neither body was yet in sight, they were so nearly onus that differences between them became obvious. The southern troup wassmall, was not travelling beyond a smart trot, and was, so far as the menwere concerned, absolutely quiet. The body from the north was large, wasforcing a hot gallop, and much noise and shouting came from the troopers.
It was plain that we were in for it. The men from Newcastle were no doubtcoming north as a reinforcement, but it was absurd to suppose that theyhad not been told of our doings and of our escape northwards. They had notovertaken us, and we must be on the road somewhere. The men from the northhad not met us. Never since the world began had two and two been easier toput together. There was only one place for us to be in and this was it. Ashort parley, a glance our way, and an overwhelming force would dash atthe picket of pines.
The bare road lay there in the moonlight, half a mile of it in clear viewon either hand. The two bodies came in sight within a few seconds of eachother, and the Colonel snapped his fingers and chuckled.
From the north a wild rush of spurring, flogging, shouting, cursinghorsemen, about a hundred of them. No order, no discipline, nosoldiership--nothing but mad haste and madder fear.
The mare began to plunge, and the Colonel, leaping off, nearly strangledher in the coat. The sorrel got uneasy but gave me no real trouble. Sultantook not the slightest notice of the din behind him, and leisurely croppedthe tough bussocks of grass at his feet.
I looked to the road again. The southern body was small, not more than ascore, compact, riding smartly but with military order and precision. Theman at their head, the officer in command, no doubt, spurred on and beganto shout at the oncoming northerners. He might as well have spoken fairwords to an avalanche, and the men behind him began to waver and most ofthem pulled up. It was useless. The torrent swept into them and bore thembackward, tumbling some of them over, men and horses together, butincorporating most of them in its own madness. In less than five minutesthe last batch of dragooners had cursed and spurred themselves out ofsight, and the bright moon shone down on a road once more bare and whitesave for a few scattered patches of black.
The Colonel uncovered the mare's head and nuzzled her. All he said was,but that very gleefully, "Geordie, my boy, I'll be routing you out of St.James's within the fortnight. I'll learn you to neglect the King ofSweden's Colonels! Damme, Oliver, it made me think of Pharaoh's kine--onelot eating the other up. Now, sweetheart my Madge, we'll have your prettyeyes a-bye-bye in no time."
"I never saw anything so funny in my life," said Margaret. "On with yourcoat, Oliver, before you take cold."
From all of which I learned to take, as they did, the fat with the leanin soldiering, and not to care a brass farthing which it was. Still, I wasas yet so young at the game, that, though I was careful to swagger it outand say nothing, I did wonder why the body from the south was so small.
And I wonder as I write whether it was or was not the mistake of my lifemerely to wonder then.